Visual and Material Culture
The wealth of Jewish textual sources from the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods presents an embarrassment of riches, but this fact should not eclipse the equally important role of material culture in allowing for a reconstruction of ancient Jewish daily life. The particular significance of archaeological remains is that they often shed light on aspects of life that escaped the attention of ancient authors. Importantly, material culture represents segments of the population that remain voiceless in literary sources, which are often biased and tendentious.
This Visual and Material Culture section highlights the material dimension of ancient Judaism and Jewish daily life. The aim of this brief introduction is to provide context for the various archaeological sites and artifacts illustrated here. Most of the discussion pertains to the land of Israel, although evidence from the diaspora appears at various relevant points, in particular in the sections on synagogues and tombs. For chronological orientation, we offer a general timeline.
| Hellenistic Period | 332–63 BCE |
| Early Hellenistic Period | Late fourth to mid-second century BCE |
| Late Hellenistic Period | Mid-second to mid-first century BCE |
| Roman Period | 63 BCE–324 CE |
| Early Roman Period | Mid-first century BCE to early second century CE |
| Middle Roman Period | Mid-second to mid-third century CE |
| Late Roman Period | Mid-third to mid-fourth century CE |
| Byzantine Period | 324/363–638 CE |
| Early Byzantine | Fourth to fifth century CE |
| Late Byzantine | Sixth to seventh century CE |
A fuller version of this timeline can be found in Key Eras and Dates at the front of this volume.